


Spread Your Wings

by raindrop_rouge



Series: Cupid Angels AU [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angel grooming, Fluff, M/M, Popular and Successful and Perfect Eren, Queen Historia, Worldbuilding, angel au, anxious levi, huge ass buildings, wing brushing, winged au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2016-10-25
Packaged: 2018-08-24 16:22:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8379175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raindrop_rouge/pseuds/raindrop_rouge
Summary: Levi is saddled with an important mission, again, and gets overly anxious about it, again. Luckily this time around, he has a (far too) perfect boyfriend who would like to do nothing more than comfort him. 
An glimpse into Historia's Kingdom, as only briefly shown in Be Her Valentine , followed by a healthy dose of Angels taking very good care of each other.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elliewritesthings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elliewritesthings/gifts).



> Huge thanks to [sugarplumsenpai]() for reading this over, also for being incredibly supportive - and going easy on me. All remaining typos are my own.

“ _So, Levi? Won’t you do that for me?_ ”

Her Majesty’s melodious voice echoed around his brain, as the slam of the heavy door falling shut echoed in his back.

Levi groaned, for what must have been the millionth time that day. This was becoming a habit of hers, wasn’t it.

It was also becoming the sentence he dreaded most in the entire cosmos, as it never failed to send him out to accomplish impossible feats. Or, well, out to do _his job_ , but he was beginning to feel personally attacked by the difficulty of the assignments Her Royal Highness tasked him with.

Levi stepped away from the Grand Library, out into the everlasting pale glow of Queen Historia’s Kingdom. The path was soft and somewhat uneven under his feet – as Cupid’s Angels generally chose to fly around, there was no need for a path at all, but in his stormy mood, Levi preferred to walk. His wings twitched irritably, folded tense against his back.

He hesitated. Taking the main path right would lead him down to the only key facility past the Library, down to the Training Grounds.

Levi shook his head. As much as he may have been in the mood, it wouldn’t have helped. He may not have been drained physically, but he’d pushed far enough mentally – more like nervously – for the day.

Besides, what would be the point in going? He had no idea what type of training would be of any use, since he’d completely failed to find _any_ distinctive information on the place he was being sent next.

Not even bothering to hold back yet another heavy sigh, he turned left, up the Kingdom’s main path, towards where the Royal Palace stood proudly all the way at the end.

Queen Historia had personally given him a mission. _Again_ – an honor very few received in their time. As for any Kingdom under the (unnecessarily close) supervision of the Superior Council, his Queen had representatives, who had delegates, who had employees, all forming a never-ending chain to pass on missions in Her name. When that even needed doing at all: most Cupid’s Angels enjoyed going to the Grand Library and picking out their next task for themselves, ravenous for every new opportunity.

Queen Historia had summoned Levi urgently. Which was more than enough to highlight the importance of his next job.

But of course, she’d just _had_ to insist. If he didn’t form a stable relationship this time around, it would be a catastrophe for the entire world he was being sent to, as well as for the worlds depending on it.

All she’d said was she preferred sending someone she knew personally on this mission, and that Levi happened to be the only available Cupid’s Angel that fitted the profile at that point.

Levi groaned. How was _Levi,_ of all Angels, supposed to handle something of this importance? There was a reason he was available for the job. Unlike Eren, who he expected would return any moment from his latest task now, but who also already had three or four jobs lined up for him.

(And the younger Angel reveled in it.)

Levi had immediately found himself as both tense and agitated as he had been before his final exams at the Academy. So he coped the exact same way he had back then, and in no time his footsteps had brought him back to the Library.

While the Royal Palace was without doubt the heart of the Kingdom, the Library was its brain. Not much would get accomplished without it, to say the least. Nothing happened that was of the Kingdom’s concern that wasn’t immediately transcribed into the records. It was the starting point for many Angels searching for basic information on places they were heading, or searching for somewhere to go at all.

Queen Historia’s Grand Library was legendary within other Kingdoms. Countless aisles stood next to each other, rows lined up until they were far out of sight east and west, stretching out endlessly before one’s eyes. Infinite amounts of scrolls and books were piled up upon them, reaching high up towards an unattainable ceiling, and plunging down into the depths of the Kingdom. As rumors had it, the Library was bigger than the Kingdom itself, and only the Ruler had access to whatever was to be found all the way at the back.

The innumerable texts that were at the heart of the Library’s glory were descriptions, traces of all the realms the Cupid’s Angels had access to. Details such as fauna and flora, enabling a relatively helpful classification of these foreign lands. Whether or not the Angels could be seen there and interact with the living, sentient beings populating the destinations, of course.

The information sought out first and foremost by the Angels, however, was more immediately in line with their objectives. What forms of love were said beings even capable of, what kind of love did they aspire to, what did they even know of it? Many realms had people of a similar nature to those on the plane where Levi had met Eren. Many realms did not. Many realms had beings that had been thoroughly studied at the Academy. Many realms did not.

A Cupid’s Angel would have been expected to have this information memorized prior to their Departure.

One could attempt to enter the aisles, err, and pray to find what one sought. One could hope to use magic, one spell or another, a charm even, to persuade the Library to grant one’s answers. To coerce it into surrendering its secrets, perhaps.

But it would all inevitably fail, for only one would ever find their way to the right book or parchment.

Alcmene, the Librarian, was a quiet Angel, swift and graceful in her movements, unexpectedly so for someone who was rumored to be as old as the Library itself. It was said that she’d advised generations of Rulers, and had helped raise the Queen. No one even considered questioning this fact, as the two carried the same kindness in their gazes. Not to mention Alcmene’s distinctly maternal aura. That was almost all that could be said about the beloved Librarian – of her appearance, none could speak of, as she was a shapeshifter who fully indulged in her abilities. There was no need after all, to provide physical clues as to her identity, as her location, behind the imposing marble front desk, or drifting through the aisles with more confidence than anyone else attempting the same feat, spoke for itself.

It was an established fact that no one could ever replace Alcmene, the Queen Herself could not find her way around the records without her trusted friend.

Levi knew this.

And so it would have been downright foolish of him to even consider poking around the Library by himself.

And yet.

He hadn’t wanted to bother Alcmene. Surely she had more important Angels to assist. Regulars. Newcomers. Angels with really high success rates. He was not _shy_ , of course _not_ , it was just that he’d never really spoken to her much before, and she probably remembered him as the lost and confused student from decades ago. After all, it was said that her memory was like the Library itself, information only ever went in, never out.

On the other hand, maybe he should have risked the embarrassment, because avoiding it resulted in some of the most inconclusive hours of Levi’s existence.

He’d gotten lost, to put things simply.

He stormed down the path, leaving the imposing building looming behind him. The mission in itself gave him plenty of stress as it was, he really didn’t need a layer of frustration from a wasted day on top of that.

The Royal Palace came into sight, and Levi glared at it.

He suspected there was so little to be read about his destination, because there was nothing to be said about it as of yet. Queen Historia had warned him it was young. Another realm born from the thoughts, prayers and dreams of beings from another land, who’d unknowingly become creators in their own right.

Levi was to be sent in with other divinities, and their achievements would create local history, as well as their creators’ founding tales. Myths. Legends. Genesis. Whatever they’d choose to call it.

He was just an Angel, and he was expected to toy around with future Gods.

Fighting down the dread and anxiety building up in his stomach, Levi swerved around a group of Angels heading the opposite direction, onto a smaller path that would lead him ‘home’.

But a clamor arising from the just around the Palace caused his steps to falter. Voices, belonging to people just out of sight, hidden behind the pure white steps of polished stone leading to the Entrance Hall. While Levi didn’t normally care for commotions, the excitement in the air, along with the fact that celebratory cheers were coming from the area of Returns…

A Court favorite was back.

Levi watched as a delighted crowd came into sight. He waited for only a moment.

Eren was quick to emerge from the web of arms reaching towards him, the sea of faces vying for his attention.

His bow was hanging loosely off one shoulder as he laughed freely, perfectly at ease. He floated ever slightly higher than the others, projecting the intention to easily thank each and every one of them for their welcome, while subtly soaking up the attention he was being showered in from every angle.

Of course he felt refreshed and energized after a mission. It puzzled Levi endlessly. But all that mattered was that he’d returned safely.

Eren twisted and twirled this way and that, as he engaged in friendly banter with his admirers. Spinning suddenly to the side, his eyes found Levi’s.

He froze.

Then, his grin widened and Levi felt out of breath all at once.

Levi stared on as Eren muttered some excuse to the group surrounding him, spread his wings out, and glided over. Levi craned his neck to peer up, directly above himself, and smirked at the enthusiasm with which Eren was waving at him.

“Levi!”

The gleeful shout of his name was all the warning he got, before Eren snapped his wings back in, and dropped ungracefully into his arms.

“Deities, Eren, you’re not that light!”, Levi grumbled, without setting Eren down. Then, in a softer tone, “Welcome back.”

“Thank you!”, Eren giggled back, tickling Levi’s ear. A quiet giggle, but enough to drown out the _ooh_ s and _aw_ s from the abandoned, yet not resentful, crowd.

Still, it was more than a little embarrassing, so Levi made himself release Eren, and turned on his heel. Eren’s return brought him some joy, sure, but he was in no mood to celebrate. For the meantime, it was best for him to focus on his upcoming work, while Eren filed his report and rested.

“Congratulations. On your success,” he said over his shoulder. He didn’t need to turn around to know that Eren would be literally glowing. He always shone unusually brightly, even for an Angel.

Or maybe Levi only noticed that glow on Eren.

“Levi?”

_Later_ , he’d congratulate Eren properly when he was less stressed and worried _later_. He walked away.

Eren hummed happily.

From right behind him.

_Wait_.

Levi spun around again. “Where are you going?”

Eren blinked innocently at him. “Wherever you are. Why?”

Levi blinked right back at him. “No.”

Eren laughed in his face. “Come on, Levi, I can report back to Historia directly when I feel like it, I wouldn’t go through admin stuff anyway.”

Levi glared up at him. Way to remind him how much easier Eren’s life was.

But Eren soldiered on. “Besides, I’d much rather spend time with you right now, I missed you.”

Curse him. Levi sped up, not daring to answer that.

Eren drifted calmly after him. He truly was going to follow him all the way to his resting spot then. There was nothing Levi could do about it. And if he were actually honest for a change, he’d have admitted that Eren’s company helped him with his dark mood.

It wasn’t especially envy he felt towards Eren and his self-confidence. But he did still hope it might one day just rub off on him.

They neared the tents area in silence, Levi weaving through narrower paths and alleys Eren surely never came through. The Kingdom was crowned by a halo of soft light in its entirety, but taller shadows inevitably dimmed the glow in its more crowded parts. As a general rule, the gleam and splendor of the Palace became more and more muted the farther one strayed from it.

Not that anyone minded. Cupid’s Angels were only ever expected to retreat to their tents for the little rest they needed. Levi spent more time near the Palace, so when he withdrew to his tent, the duller light helped with finding sleep.

Most Angels only owned solemn, rather empty tents, which they’d come to all pitch somewhat randomly, after very little consideration, on the same expanse of cloud-like fields, at a short distance from the market. The merchants, however, tended to build immobile homes progressively, over or behind their stands. As for Palace workers or other administrative employees, the Royal family would provide for stable living quarters by their assigned workplace.

So Eren probably should have known that Levi was feeling distinctly uneasy as they approached his space, one of the tents farther away from the market. At least it benefitted from a good few meters of space between it and its first neighbors.

There was no question that Eren’s own living space would be a lot more comfortable than what Levi would have to show for. Eren had been offered a place at the Palace, but he’d turned it down, preferring a tent – like anyone else with his functions. In the end, Queen Historia had forced him to accept a luxurious tent, set up by the heart of the Kingdom.

Levi sighed. One day, he’d manage to impress Eren. Just not today.

Levi only barely remembered to hold up the flap of his tent to let Eren drift in first, instead of just entering and flopping down on his cherished collection of blankets immediately.

Eren skipped in cheerfully, and flicked his eyes around so quickly it made Levi dizzy to stare at him.

“Oh, Levi, this is… neat,” Eren said. His eyes didn’t linger on anything for very long – there was nothing worth staring at.

The pale beige tent was set over a matching base Levi had obtained later. Chestnut drawers stood by a tall wooden wardrobe. Empty, of course, of anything but his Academy uniforms, that he should probably get rid of, now that he thought of it. He stored his bow and quiver in there as well, when he rested.

The only remarkable part of his resting space was the pile across from the entrance. Levi had accumulated white and pale grey rugs, blankets, duvets and even lace-patterned throw-overs for his rare slumber.

“Wow, you’re hard-working aren’t you?”, Eren whistled admiringly.

The more a Cupid’s Angel completed missions, the more they were out, and therefore, the less they bothered owning. Heavily furbishing one’s tent was therefore somewhat frowned upon, as it suggested time spent leisurely at ‘home’ rather than working for the Kingdom. This did not discourage many from accumulating souvenirs from places they’ve been anyway.

“Hah, not especially, no,” Levi replied. He simply hated the idea of clutter. It had never occurred to him until now how serious the absence of decorations in his apartment would make him look, to other Angels.

He’d never had a visitor, after all.

And therefore, he had no idea what to do now.

Luckily Eren seemed at ease, walking around in the little space available. “Hmm, I see… It’s nice, but could use some brighter colors,” Eren teased, teal eyes twinkling.

_Yes, it could_ , Levi thought before he could help himself, caught up once again by Eren’s gaze.

“Bet you keep your place cluttered and bright? That messes with your rest, idiot,” he answered instead.

Eren laughed. “Your place, your rules.”

No sooner had those words left his lips than he threw himself upon Levi’s carefully crafted nest.

_Rules, what rules_.

“Eren…” Levi pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Levi.” Eren’s tone was serious, and took Levi by surprise.

Levi watched as Eren reached out for him. He sat down next to Eren, who shifted to give him more room.

He twiddled his thumbs together in his lap. Shit. How did anyone entertain guests?

“What are you looking all that tense for? In your own tent, no less,” Eren rolled his eyes, but his fond smile ruined the exasperated effect. “Come here,” he said, pulling Levi into a warm embrace – before flopping to the side, with Levi still squished against his chest.

“Eren!” Levi pushed Eren away, flustered, but while Eren loosened his grip, he didn’t let go entirely.

“I wanted to congratulate you too!” Eren flashed him a grin that would have blinded any non-divine being. Probably. That must have been possible, especially with only the length of Eren’s arms between them.

“Huh? For what?”

“Pfft,” Eren waved a hand dismissingly, “You think I haven’t heard? You think I don’t make sure to keep up with all the news concerning my soulmate?”

Levi curled into a ball, almost as if on reflex, to hide the blush he felt burning up his face.

_Soulmate_.

It was a strong word, even for Cupid’s Angels. Terms such as boyfriend, partner, and other words commonly used in any other realm were far more prevalent, and that for a very good reason: Cupid’s Angels had coined those terms and spread their use elsewhere. It made sense to keep them.

Though not to Eren, apparently.  He’d decided that his own relationship was extra special, and had thereby taken to calling Levi ‘Soulmate’. A term that was normally reserved for very specific instances. And in fact, simply didn’t exist at all in most realms.

And Levi was rendered speechless, as always.

But any happiness he would have reluctantly admitted to have felt was sucked away with Eren’s following words.

“Congratulations,” he murmured with a soft smile. “The Queen Herself has bestowed a mission upon you. Again. Do you know how many out there _dream_ of that honor? And she really didn’t give you just any mission there, did she. _Lore Building_. You’re amazing, Levi.”

The compliment barely registered on top of the dread hitting his stomach full force.

Eren was blissfully oblivious to Levi’s state of internal panic. Why would he notice? Eren would never consider the titanic task awaiting Levi to be daunting. Challenging, exciting, yes. All good things. Of course. Eren wouldn’t have anything to worry about, in his place.

“It’s such a wonderful opportunity,” Eren continued, “Now everyone gets to see your worth.”

Levi felt sick.

“I’m so glad Historia picked you for this task!” Eren leaned in slowly. “And good for her… At least she can be sure she’s not gonna lose yet another Angel on the job,” he murmured, eyes finding Levi’s as he came closer.

“She’s not gonna _what?_ ”

Eren startled, then blinked rapidly, confused at the outburst.

Then, “No! Not like that, no one is vanishing out there!”

Levi narrowed his eyes.

“Well…” Eren hesitated. “No more than usual, at least.” A shadow crossed over his face. “She didn’t send you to a High Risk plane, did she? I made her promise not to!” He caught Levi’s hand in one of his, features twisting with worry. “Look, I know you train a lot, but you never specialized, did you?”

Levi shook his head, but didn’t pull his hand back. “You know I can’t say for sure. New plane, and all. How dangerous it’ll be has yet to be decided by the divinities I’ll be meeting there, I guess…”

“You mean your new team.” Eren kicked his feet around on the bed. “Levi! This is so exciting! It’ll be fun working with different types of Angels, you’ll see. The Quarrel Spirits will bitch at you out of principle, but don’t mind them.”

Peering at his _soulmate_ ’s ridiculously perfect face, Levi asked, “You’ve done such…” he gestured vaguely with his free hand, “such set-up missions, before?”

“Yep!”, Eren chirped, tugging gently on Levi’s arm to bring him in closer. “So I know you’ll have a good time. Historia really does trust you now. You’re basically gonna be her ambassador. Whatever story you write down there, that will be a part of that world’s foundations, their history, their Genesis, whatever they choose to call it.”

Levi had nothing to say to that. Eren never minded when that was the case, and smiled to himself in silence.

A sudden thought crossed his mind, taking the smile with it. “You… You _have_ done background research on your destination anyway, right? You never know.”

“Yes, I have, and yes, you do. You know exactly what I’m going to say. Especially since you’ve done this before,” Levi grumbled. “No precise information, anything could live there, all magic is fair game because no Deity has decided elsewise yet, but of course, low chances of suffering harm at the hands of advanced forms of intelligence or technology, or getting caught in political conflict. You know that stuff takes a while to develop, everywhere,” he huffed, not even attempting to disguise his frustration. “In other words, nothing. _Nothing,_ Eren. Oh, except a few pointers concerning the climate. It’s gonna be hot, it’s gonna be humid. And those sources weren’t even that reliable. Fantastic.”

Eren hummed thoughtfully. “You’ll be fine. I know, I know, it’s gonna be all new, and you don’t like that – what, it’s true, don’t look at me like that – but it’s also gonna be very interesting. You might really like it. What if this turns out to be your favorite mission yet?”

Levi raised an eyebrow. _I doubt that_.

He traced Eren’s features with his gaze, taking his time, knowing that Eren would understand.

Eren’s eyes were still as entrancing as when he first met him. His lips, skin and hair still looked as soft.

And now he knew they really were as soft as they looked.

Levi stretched out a wing, and brought it down to brush Eren’s shoulder gently.

“So? What did you mean, by our beloved Goddess fearing for her Angels?”

Eren propped himself up on one elbow. “You haven’t heard at all?”

“Obviously not.”

“Huh. Well, that’s good, I guess, I don’t think Historia wants it to get out, give us some crazy ideas… But I can tell you, of course.” Eren settled back down on the covers, and began tracing shapes up and down Levi’s arm absently. “You’ve heard about the tensions over in the Quarrel Spirits Domain, yeah?”

The neighboring Kingdom. There hadn’t been any serious conflict between them and Queen Historia’s Kingdom in a very long time, but they were historically Cupid’s Angels rivals. Nothing was more infuriating than to run into one while on a mission.

So of course, when trouble popped up over on their side, the Cupid’s Angels were the first to delight in it.

“You mean how they’ve finally let their pettiness get the better of them, how they’ve started picking fights among themselves, instead of instigating conflict elsewhere?”

Eren raised his eyebrows, but nodded. “Honestly, that’s how I see it too, so far. But it’s somehow become big enough a problem that the Superior Council is considering stepping in.”

Levi snorted.

“Yeah, I know, sounds unlikely, and yet…” Eren shook his head, erasing the trace of amusement Levi’s laugh had left on his face. “Increasing violence among them is really becoming a significant threat to stability in all the realms where they hold power.”

“The Quarrel Spirits are quarreling. Big deal! The Superior Council though…” Levi widened his eyes in mock astonishment.

Eren swatted at Levi’s arm playfully, claiming, “I’m serious, Levi!”

“I’m not saying _you_ aren’t,” Levi answered, affirming his thoughts on the Council. “But anyway. How does this connect to the Queen’s worries about us?”

“Right. After a closer look at the Quarrel Spirits, turns out they are doing their job still… But their job has taken over their very nature, or something, and they’re taking it too far. Taking their work home, if you will. And uh… we’re facing a similar problem.”

Levi raised an eyebrow, which probably just looked hilarious from where Eren was, lying on his side across from him.

“How so?”, Levi asked.

 “Well… We’re tasked with nurturing love, right? In others. But, uh… some of us have decided that their primary mission would be to seek love for themselves.” Eren heaved a sigh.

A telling sigh. Eren didn’t blame them, not really.

“As of late, many of us have sought out, and found, their significant others in different realms. Their ‘soulmates’, even, as they now call them in their final reports back.” Eren’s eyes widened, his own words sinking in. “Hey, that caught on quickly!”

“Wonder why that would be,” Levi muttered, glaring at one of the Court’s main trendsetters, even as he let himself be pulled in closer. Eren was warm, and his chest, solid. He could be forgiven for being so obnoxiously popular.

Eren huffed a laugh before he continued. “These Angels find what they seek, but realize their soulmates cannot follow them back up here.” His breath danced through strands of Levi’s hair. “So they’re faced with a life changing choice. Leave their chosen one behind – or leave us behind. Historia, the Kingdom, everything they’ve ever known. Including the ability to cross through realms, obviously. Can’t stay an Angel if you’re not gonna do your job.”

Levi couldn’t exactly wrap his wing tighter around Eren’s shoulder, but he tried.

“How does that even work? You can’t just stop being what you are.” He felt Eren nod against the top of his head.

“I know, right, that’s what I thought too, so I asked Historia. She said… She said that if you don’t – you get dragged back up here, eventually. It’s inevitable. So… I guess many of them _have_ found a way to give it all up. There really is a way to break off from here for good.”

Levi remained expressionless as he took the information in. That sounded like a tough choice if there ever was one.

He was lucky he’d never have to make it.

“Levi? You alright?” Eren had pulled back a bit, and lifted a hand to smooth the crease in Levi’s brow. “You’re overthinking, love.”

Levi lifted his gaze to meet Eren’s, and his breath left him in a rush.

_Like hell that’s a rough choice_.

One glance at Eren, at that adoring smile, those warm eyes that expressed what little his mouth did not, and he knew.

He’d always pick Eren.

In their earlier days, he might have had his doubts as to whether Eren would make the same choice. Eren was passionate about his job as a Cupid’s Angel in ways Levi simply was not.

He let his eyes wander, taking in the rest of Eren. The younger Angel had shuffled around to free one arm, which he was currently using to gently trace Levi’s collarbones. The corners of his lips were pulled up, a subtle, much more subdued smile than usual, yet as bright as the soft gleam that never left his eyes. A gleam that always shone brighter when his eyes found Levi’s.

Eren would choose him.

Levi relaxed under Eren’s touch.

As if sensing the shift, Eren grinned, and brought his own wing over Levi’s.

Levi was hit by sudden self-awareness, and the return of his earlier nerves.

He was about to be sent away just as problems were arising in the Kingdom, who knew what situation he’d return to? He might not manage to catch up on everything he’d miss later, but he wanted to be able to follow whatever Eren might tell him about ( _curse that kid, he always found a way to know_ everything).

They had been in the middle of an important conversation, and Levi had gotten distracted. But he wanted answers. Hopefully Eren would tell him enough for him to make sense of whatever might happen in his absence.

“Eren.” While his tone never varied all that much, it should have been enough to indicate his intention to obtain a serious reply. “You were saying. Her Majesty is uncertain whom she can confidently send off now?”

Eren blinked. Clearly his thoughts had already travelled far from the Queen’s problems. “Oh. Yeah. Yeah, that’s been the main thing on her mind lately. She’s mentioned it in a couple of messages.”

Messages? Eren had been away on missions for the past few weeks, that shouldn’t have been –

“The fact is, our population is shrinking. Not alarmingly fast or anything, but… Just enough for Historia to think something must be done about it. Except her advisors are incapable of coming up with a solution, or a sanction that wouldn’t just cause worse backlash.”

“You’re one of her advisors,” Levi stated flatly.

“Not an official one.”

Levi hummed. He tended to forget. Then, teasingly, “And what makes our Queen so sure _I_ won’t –”

But Eren raised an eyebrow and outright _smirked_ at him, and Levi’s heart stuttered, the words ‘disappear too’ dying on his lips.

It must have been a bit too obvious lately, how eager Levi always was to return.

Even more so than he had already been before.

Levi sighed. Thoughts of his oncoming mission had returned to plague Levi’s mind and darken his mood.

“This is such a poor decision of hers,” he huffed finally, warm breath rippling against the fabric of Eren’s toga. “She should get a team organized to deal with the deserter issue. And then, she should proceed with choosing Angels for her missions based on whether or not they are qualified for the job. Especially one of this importance!”

Eren clicked his tongue. “She _did_ pick an Angel she knows can get the job done.”

Before Levi could react, Eren yanked Levi to his chest, and dragged them both up into a less-than-comfortable sitting position.

“Stop overthinking this. You can do it,” Eren murmured into his ear.

“How can she possibly think I’m good enough for this?”, Levi gritted out. He was too embarrassed to say any more, especially to Eren, who breezed through all of his jobs. At the same time, if there was anyone he could share his worries with, it was Eren.

“You’re worth so much more than you think, love.” Eren’s words glided over Levi’s skin, another soothing layer between Levi and his worries.

Levi let his head fall against Eren’s shoulder.

“What are you thinking?”

“It’s fine, Eren.”

“No, it’s not.” Eren’s hands slid down from Levi’s locks to cradle his face.

Levi looked away. _Dammit_. That was a giveaway if there ever was one. Sure enough, Eren narrowed his eyes, and demanded, “Levi, look at me. Come on now. Tell me what’s bothering you. Let me try and help?”

“I went a full year without succeeding in a mission even once. Of course I’m worried! Her Majesty was right to doubt me then, and she’s wrong to trust me now.”

“Levi – ”

“Wait. A year like that would make even you doubt yourself. Of course I’m worried, Eren, you cannot expect me not to be stressed about this mission. It’s too important, it can’t just become another failure on my list. But,” he pushed away from Eren’s hold to look at him, “I know our cause is a great one. Our jobs are worth struggling for. Our success brings people happiness, and that…” He looked down at his knees, “that’s worth the fight.”

When he looked up, Eren’s expression was still one of entire dissatisfaction. 

“What?” Levi demanded.

“You still don’t get it. You’ve got it all wrong! You’re basing all your self-esteem on how successful you are at work! How are you ever going to enjoy a job if you’re putting yourself under all that pressure?”

Answering that he didn’t think jobs were supposed to be enjoyable was probably not a good idea, so Levi remained silent.

Eren mistook his lack of response for contrition.

“You’ve got everything it takes to be an amazing Cupid’s Angel. You work hard, you come up with all these great ideas – shush, when you don’t, you know where to find some. Remember when we met?”

Levi glared at Eren. How could he forget?

Eren smiled, tilting his head to the side sweetly. “I was impressed with what you could do. Really! Though I must admit… It didn’t take me long to see how talented you really are.” Eren’s voice took on a slyer note. “In fact, it’s because it’s so obvious how amazing you truly are that I stepped in that time at all. And I must say, you’re too beautiful to be left alone on Valentine’s Day, sweetheart,” Eren said playfully.

Before Levi could retort, Eren pressed his hands between the roots of Levi’s wings and dragged down.

Levi gasped. Then, he peered up nervously at Eren.

Who looked positively elated.

“What did you do that for?” Levi hissed, feeling heat rise to his face.

“We’re putting an end to all of your negative thinking for now,” Eren replied cheerfully. Without another word, he wrapped his arms around Levi’s waist, spun him around, and laid him down on his stomach.

“Eren, what are you doing?” Levi frowned, as Eren shuffled back a little bit. Levi wondered if he sounded grumpy enough to cover up his lack of resistance.

He eyed Eren warily as he flipped his quiver upside down. A multitude of little objects came tumbling out of it, landing right by Levi’s legs.

“You’d better put all of that away soon,” Levi groused.

“Yeah, yeah…” Eren replied distractedly, already gathering up the arrows and stuffing them right back into where they came from. “I’m guessing you travel light?”

“No. I usually bring a spare bag to carry books in,” Levi said, causing Eren to erupt in laughter.

Levi bristled. “What now?”

“Sorry, sorry, I actually saw you use those last time, but… to think you carry all that around every time… Tiny objects bought on the market are so much more practical and useful!” Eren wiped tears of laughter from his eyes.

“The books are exactly what I need, no more, no less, which is why I take them with me and nothing else,” Levi grumbled.

“Uh huh,” Eren replied, clearly convinced. “You can have a look at my favorites if you like?”

He sounded hopeful, so who was Levi to refuse? Propping himself up on his elbows, he looked behind him to see what exactly was littering his resting space.                                                                                                        

He spotted a fan, a candle, a – was that a pepper shaker? – a white brush and a smooth blue stone. Or at least, it looked like a stone, in the split second Levi got to see it before Eren snatched it up with a small gasp, and tossed it back into the quiver. Levi paid it little attention.

“Should I bring stuff like that down with me for this next mission?” Levi wondered aloud.

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Eren screamed, causing Levi to jump, before slumping back down onto his blanket nest.

“What was that for?” Levi demanded.

“We are done talking about your mission, okay? It’s stressing you out! And that’s not the state you want to leave in. Look, just – yeah, there, fold your arms in front of you,” he reached out to guide Levi’s head down softly, “and there, just rest your head down like this.”

“I am not _sleeping_ this close to a departure, Eren.”

“Shush, that’s not the point, but I suppose you can if you want to. I’d wake you up!”

Somehow Levi doubted that.

“Everything’s fine,” Eren continued gently, “you’re going to do great. You’ll do even better if you and your nervous brain shut up right now.”

Levi glared, a glare lost to the side of his tent that filled his field of vision. But he kept quiet, curious to know what Eren was up to.

He heard Eren toss most of his objects back into his quiver. All of them, most likely – all but the soft-bristle brush now running down his wings.

He tensed up instantly, and made to roll back up, but his movement was cut off by Eren’s light touch on his shoulder.

“Wouldn’t this be alright? I… I think this would really help you relax. And uh, if you don’t mind… I’d really like to. Brush your wings, I mean,” Eren’s voice wavered, hesitant, but Levi knew he wouldn’t avoid his gaze, if he decided to turn around.

“You’d like to?” The idea seemed a bit, well, _odd_ to Levi.

He’d never brushed his wings before.

He didn’t know that was something some Angels even did. They didn’t especially _need_ brushing, feathers tended to just stay down, what was the point?

“Yes!” Eren squealed instantly, snapping Levi out of his musings. “When we were really young, I even got to brush Historia’s wings, I’m a brusher fit for Royalty.”

Face now buried in his folded arms, Levi could still hear Eren grinning behind him.

“Well, I mean, it wasn’t any serious grooming, she has personal assistants for that… Though, hmm, I wonder, Ymir probably doesn’t let anyone approach her like that anymore…” As he distracted Levi with his words, Eren began brushing Levi’s wings again.

Although he was still tense, this time he didn’t move a feather.

“Growing up, I found that it’s not something many of us did anymore,” Eren said. “And it’s such a shame, you know? In my opinion, groomed wings do look nicer, but mostly, they feel a lot better too.”

He dragged his brush down Levi’s wings lightly at first, in long strokes, taking his time, letting Levi get used to the sensation. The brush glided down carefully enough to never catch, just softly tickling each of Levi’s vaned feathers.

It was… very intimate. There wasn’t anything special about wings, at least Levi didn’t think so. But Eren’s touch was so delicate, reverent, almost, it conveyed nothing but love.

And maybe it was that affection in every touch that made his wings so sensitive. Levi held back shivers that threatened to run down his spine with every bristle running down his feathers.

“Your wings have always looked perfect, though,” Eren continued. “Naturally sleek and smooth…” He paused in his brushing. “May I?”

Levi opened one eye – they’d fallen closed without him even noticing – and peeked to the side to figure out what Eren was asking for.

Eren was waiting patiently, one hand raised next to the brush he held in the other.

_Oh._ Levi nodded stiffly, before ducking his face back into his arms. With any luck, Eren would not catch the blush heating up his face.

There was a pause, before the brush resumed its path. This time, each brush stroke was followed by a warmer touch, a caress of a palm smoothing the wing down after it. Levi sighed. That was alright. And Eren had said he’d like to. Levi’s tense shoulders slowly relaxed.

He didn’t hear Eren set the brush down, before his other hand’s fingers came to replace it. They trailed down his feathers, in a fleeting, barely there touch. When Levi didn’t move, the press of his hands became more insistent, digits digging in between the sleek feathers, reaching into the soft down beneath.

Levi inhaled sharply.

Eren hummed soothingly. “Is this okay? If you’ve never done this before I might have some untangling to do, but you’ll see, I promise I won’t hurt you.”

Levi nodded minutely. It would have been far too embarrassing to answer that he knew Eren wouldn’t.

Eren’s fingers continued to run through the first layer of his feathers, alternating between dragged out pressure that made Levi want to squirm, and quick flicks of his fingers to undo knots they came across. Contented sighs escaped Levi every now and then, which only seemed to encourage Eren to continue, murmuring adoringly to Levi the whole time.

“Does this feel alright Levi? Your wings are wonderfully soft, I’m so happy you’re letting me do this. Your wings are so gorgeous already, I cannot wait to see how perfect they’ll look after,” he whispered in awe. “I’d groom you every day like this, if you’d let me. Anything to help you relax, my love.”

Levi fidgeted, unused to the attention.

Unused, but certainly not displeased.

Still, he needed something to do with his own hands. He shifted slightly, for one hand to grab the hem of Eren’s toga, and clung to that.

Misunderstanding Levi’s fidgeting, Eren’s hands withdrew from where they were, travelling to the bottom of the snow white feathers.

“Are you uncomfortable? Oh! I know, hold on, I’ve got you.”

He felt Eren move around, before a blanket was thrown over his legs, and another was shoved toward his face.

“Here. You can rest your head on this instead.” He leaned onto his side to look directly at Levi, all brilliant eyes and dazzling eyes, as he handed him the blanket folded into a pillow. “Now just relax, okay? Don’t worry about a thing. If you need to focus on anything, make that thing your breathing. Or… or me, I guess,” he mumbled the last part, the words running into each other.

Levi huffed in silent laughter, quiet relief. So Eren did get nervous too, sometimes.

Levi bit his lip in a way that sealed his mouth shut, but he had to say something, this was important to Eren. And it was only fair, he’d been taking all the steps for the both of them so far.

“Thank you, Eren. For doing this. It feels, uh. It does help me relax.” He glanced behind him, knowing exactly what he’d find. Eren, positively beaming down at him.

“My pleasure, love.” Taking all the time in the world, he trailed his hand down Levi’s back, pressing down between his wings, letting his fingers trace every bump of Levi’s spine. “Anytime.”

Levi buried his burning face into the makeshift pillow.

Eren was too much.

Eren was _perfect_.

His touch was just right, his hands were all Levi needed, and he felt helpless under them.

The hand that was messing up Levi’s thoughts left his back for a moment, a split second, but enough for Levi to miss its warmth. Then it returned, tracing the upper curve of his left wing.

“There’s really not that much grooming can do for you, you look so beautiful already,” Eren breathed.

That wasn’t true. There was no way that could be true. But as things were, Levi doubted he could express the sentiment coherently.

He also suspected Eren wouldn’t really appreciate being contradicted right now. So he kept silent.

Possibly, just _maybe_ hoping Eren would say more.  

“But brushing never hurt anyone,” Eren continued.

_He just never disappointed, did he?_

“And I... I’ve been wanting to do this for a while, so…” Eren trailed off.

In the next moment, his fingers were dipping deeper between Levi’s vaned feathers, combing through them delicately, and each movement was closely followed by a stroke of the brush. The repetitive motion lulled Levi into a deeply relaxed state, but he refused to let himself fall asleep.

“Is it that nice? To groom others, I mean,” Levi wondered aloud.

“Of course. Especially if the other person’s you.  You – it does feel nice. Getting to take care of you a bit, I mean,” Eren said quietly, but confidently. The confidence he carried with him through everything he did.

No wonder he was always so successful on his missions.

“I can feel you tense up. Let go of whatever you were thinking, you’re fine Levi, you’re gonna be okay, just trust me…” He sighed. “You sure you don’t want to sleep?”

Levi shook his head. He didn’t especially need sleep as it was. But more importantly, _Eren was grooming his wings_ , and there was no way he’d want to miss a second of it.

Eren’s laugh, light and melodious, rose from above him. “I’d hoped not. Though I guess if you did drift off that would be a compliment to my skills.”

 Having thoroughly brushed through both wings, Eren set the brush down, and brought both his hands to Levi’s scapulae. He rubbed firmly against where Levi’s wings met his back, and Levi suddenly had to actively remember to stay awake.

Eren kneaded around the base of Levi’s wings, cutting right into the tension Levi thought he’d be permanently carrying. They repeated the same path a couple of times, as Levi felt himself melt into the soft covers beneath him more and more.

The pressure of Eren’s hands against his back was heavenly. They kneaded up and down Levi’s back, rubbing perfect little circles along his spine. The warmth Eren emanated constantly helped relax Levi’s muscles deeply. Combined with how fresh and inexplicably clean his wings were now feeling, Eren’s touch had Levi sighing deeply.

“Thank you, Eren,” he whispered.

Eren’s hands glided swiftly up his back, and caressed the back of his neck. Levi shivered at the ticklish feeling, before burying his face deeper into his pillow, silently letting Eren continue. But Eren’s fingers only barely drifted over the skin there, before threading through Levi’s locks. There were no knots to be found there, Eren weaved through the silky hair with ease, yet he gave it the same care as he did Levi’s duvet feathers.

“Anything you need. I love you,” Eren murmured back.

 

Levi flew over to the Departure area later that day, focused, prepared, but especially, more relaxed than he’d even been before a mission.

What had he ever done to deserve Eren?

He was beautiful, loving soulmate who’d done far more than just brush off dust and remove dead feathers from Levi’s wings. It was like he’d lifted Levi’s stress and worries straight off his back.

Levi left feeling lighter than ever.

And, as Queen Historia would be happy to hear, with someone to return to.

Someone he couldn’t wait to return to.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading <3
> 
> Special thanks to Ellie, for giving me the love, support and enthusiasm I needed to write this :'D


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